Saturday Sudbury Patrol

Brief report of the night of Sat. 4th May

The journey to Prayer Base at the start of the even ing was made most memorable, by the loveliest of fiery red sunsets, and mild Spring evening air, suffused by the occasional aroma of newly blossomed May.

How good God is, and marvellous His wonders of Creation. We left Prayer Base just on 10 o clock, accompanied by Jannice from Hadleigh, who was shadowing for a while that night, as she is trainin g to be a Town Pastor, and will shortlyjoin us on the Sudbury team.

We made a brief visit to the CCTV room, and on the way were accosted by a young man who requested, well, demanded a Freddo bar, to which we acquiesced! He was in a small group who were drinking from bottles of beer, but even upon advice that they could be warned by the police, they continued on their way.

We returned to the town centre, and having made our usual initial tour up North Street, on our way back, espied a young man who had fallen in the access route to Girling Street Car Park. His friends from North Street joined us in helping him, and jested with him, as we endeavoured to get him to sip some water, which would help him out of his severe state of inebriation, not to say his difficulty in articulation of any sensible response to us or his friends.

He started to come round, and we walked as a group down North Street. His friends parted company with us, leaving him some money for his taxi fare home, which arrived a few minutes later.

Conversations were had with the door staff of the various establishments, and Easterns, disappointed that they had no customers at all, were understandably very bored as a result. One young lady of two out for the evening, confided that she was a born again Christian from Colchester, and her family were all out and out believing Christians.

On our return from our first break, at about 11.50, we were asked by one of the many Police officers on duty that night, in the Market Square, if we would speak with a father and son ( judging by their conversation), who were having something of a disagreement.

It transpired they were indeed father and son, from Manchester, staying near Sudbury, and carrying out a flooring contract on one of the Sudbury shops. Whatever their disagreement was, lessened as we talked with them, and they thanked us for coming over, even at the behest of the police, which they had correctly assumed.

Another example, which our two friends had perceived, of the advantage we had as Town Pastors of our neutral role. We made another visit to the Silkworm, who were not overly busy that night, and then to Infinity, before again making our way to the MarketSquare, when we heard a cry from the alleyway at the side of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop.

A young woman had fallen and grazed the top of her cheek. She said she had no need of help, and that she was alright, thank you. However, her friend who accompanied her was more determined that we should do something to remedy ?the blood that was pouring from her eye ?! We stayed with them, and called the police over, for asecond opinion, as we were unable to placate the determined efforts of her friend to elicit some medical attention. Eventually, the young womans friend had calmed down sufficiently for us to phone for a taxi, which promptly arrived, and off home they went!

Chicken George, seldom without tension near the endof the night, was home to some young lads about 12.30, one of whom came out to request a Freddo. A young woman, already leaning against the side of the shop, said to us, Well, tell him Jesus loves him then!

Our second break of the night brought us out of the Salvation Army about 2.10. We did have a conversation during this time, with a woman in her 30s( maybe) just outside the Grover and Allen, who asked who we were , and what we were doing, who said that she had studied comparative religions for her degree, found the exercise very interesting, but didn’t herself , believe in God.

Ther was little action from then on, until about 5 minutes before closing time at Infinity, when a large burly man was evicted, and refused either to go home following repeated requests by the police, and then initially refused to get in the police car (as by then he had come to the point of being arrested): Police have much to be commended for, in their policing methods.

We thought all had finished for the night, but as we were making our way back to Base, a couple of young men in Gaol Lane had some kind ofdisagreement, and then another scene started to develop in front of the Town Hall. he Police were quick to respond to a call from us via CCTV, and the squall calmed as quickly as it had arisen.

We thanked God again, for his guidance and his protection, and for the sense of peace and blessing we had had over the night. he shift finished at 3.30am